Cincinnati's next leaders are already here. Help them finish.
Level Up Cincinnati pairs first-generation college students from lower-income families with professional coaches, scholarships, and a network that opens doors. Here is how your company can be part of it.
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The Gap
Nine out of ten won't finish.
Talent isn't the problem. Support is. Students who are the first in their family to attend college navigate everything alone: the paperwork, the finances, the pressure, the unknowns. Most never make it to the finish line.
1 in 10
low-income, first-generation students earn a bachelor's degree
0%
of first-gen students finish within six years, vs. 59% of peers with college-educated parents
0%
don't make it past their third year
Sources: Pell Institute; RTI International / FirstGen Forward; National Center for Education Statistics
The Flywheel
Your future talent is stuck in that gap.
Cincinnati companies want resilient, diverse, first-generation talent on their teams and in their leadership pipelines. But if those students never graduate, that talent never reaches your door. Help them finish, and the wheel turns.
Step 1
Students enroll.
Every year, first-generation students from lower-income families arrive at the University of Cincinnati with the grades and the grit. What they don't have is a parent who has done this before, or a network that opens doors.
Step 2
Level Up supports them.
Two coaches across their college career, $5,000 a year in scholarship support, a professional development curriculum, and warm introductions to Cincinnati's business community. Nobody navigates it alone.
Step 3
They graduate. Ready.
Resumes, LinkedIn, interview reps, financial literacy, and real relationships with professionals. Our scholars don't just finish. They finish with a 3.33 GPA and a job or internship in their field.
Step 4
Cincinnati hires them.
Scholars have landed at Cintas, TriHealth, Green City Demolition, Williams International, and more. When they land with our corporate partners, even better. Then they turn around and invest in the next class.
Click a step, or let it turn
Good Company
You'd be in good company.
Our corporate partners don't just write a check. They align their name with a program, send their people, and hire our scholars. Here are a few.
Sycamore Capital
Partner since 2022
A partner in every year of our existence. Helped build our financial literacy curriculum and aligns with the Finance Dinner.
$25K / year
BSI Engineering
Annual Partner
Powers our Networking Month programming, and we recruit engineering scholars with BSI in mind every year.
$25K / year
Green City Demolition
Annual Partner
Year-over-year support for scholar programming, and a scholar hired onto their team while still in school.
$25K+ / year
AMEND Consulting
Founding Partner
Committed when Level Up was still an idea. Built the systems we run on and presents Aiming for Opportunity.
Presenting Sponsor AFO
Cintas
Partner since 2023
Sponsorship plus interview suits for scholars. Cintas leaders meet scholars at our events, and one just joined them full time.
Sponsor + Hire
Alongside deep foundation support
Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile Jr. FoundationGeorge & Margaret McLane FoundationLouise Taft Semple FoundationP&G FoundationTaco Bell FoundationThe Donald C. & Laura M. Harrison Family FoundationThe Ed & Joann Hubert Family FoundationThe PwC FoundationThe Millstone Fund
Why this matters to you: foundation support carries our operating costs, so 100% of corporate partner dollars go to scholars and programming.
We put your name forward.Partners are recognized wherever our community gathers.
EventsNewslettersImpact ReportWebsiteSocial
How It Works
Meet Level Up Cincinnati.
Founded in 2022 in partnership with the University of Cincinnati, we give first-generation students from lower-income families the support system their peers with college-educated parents take for granted. Today that is 30+ scholars and 30+ professional coaches, and every scholar gets all four of these.
01
Scholarship Support
$5,000 / yr
Renewable each year with the University of Cincinnati. Based on financial need and first-generation status.
02
Two Coaches
Transition Coach for the early years: campus life, study habits, confidence
Career Coach as graduation nears: pathways, networks, internships, the first job
03
Professional Development
Financial literacy
Mental wellness
Personal branding
Career success
04
The Launch Network
Warm introductions to local professionals, corporate partners, and alumni. Scholars submit a resume, a pitch, and a target; we open the door.
The Results
Support changes the odds.
Remember the one in ten? Here is what happens when nobody navigates college alone. Every number is from our 2025 Impact Report.
0%
Retention Rate
0
Average GPA (vs. 3.1 national average)
0%
Upperclassmen Employed or Interning in Their Field
$485K
Scholarships Awarded Since 2022
0%
Made New Professional Connections This Semester
0
★★★★★★★★★★
Average Scholar Rating: "I Feel Supported by Level Up"
These are not hypotheticals. These are Level Up scholars at work right now, several of them at companies that partner with us.
Sarah
Cintas · Management Trainee
Met Cintas leaders at Level Up events. When her first application came up short, Level Up funded a sales certificate. She came back and earned the offer.
Martha
TriHealth · NICU Nurse
Landed her NICU role through the Launch Network. Now pursuing her master's in nursing and mentoring the scholars behind her.
Nick
Williams International · Engineer
Dreamed of aerospace. His Career Coach opened doors with introductions and guided his internship search. He graduated with a job building jet engines.
Ian
Green City Demolition · Construction Management
A Launch Network request connected Ian with a corporate partner in his field. Green City hired him while he is still in school: part time during the semester, full time over the summers. That is the flywheel.
Why Level Up
Three reasons companies say yes.
01
100% of your dollars go to scholars and programming.
Every corporate partner dollar is directed to scholarships and student programming. None of it covers overhead. Our operating costs are carried by foundation grants and individual giving, so your investment shows up as a scholar, a coach, or a program, never a light bill.
That is rare in our world, and it is how we will keep it.
02
Results you can see.
Nationally, one in ten low-income first-gen students finishes. Ours stay at 90%+, carry a 3.33 GPA, and over 90% of our upperclassmen are already working or interning in their field. You get a plain one-page impact summary every year. No reporting burden, no guessing.
Full report, every year: impact.levelupcincinnati.org
03
A talent pipeline you help build.
Meet first-gen business, engineering, nursing, and STEM scholars before the job market does. Your people coach, host, and hire, and we organize all of it. Scholars already work at Cintas, Green City Demolition, and TriHealth. Yours could be next.
Employee engagement, fully run by us. About two hours a month to coach.
What you'll receiveRecognition at events, in newsletters, the impact report, website, and socialAn annual impact summarySeats for your people at scholar programmingWarm hiring introductions
What's Next
More scholars. Same depth.
We will never be the biggest program in town, on purpose. Every scholar is known by name by our team, their two coaches, and each other. Here is how we grow without losing that.
Grow
More scholars, more coaches, more scholarship dollars.
Each year we add to the class, add to the coaching family, and grow the scholarship pool so the next first-gen student who earns their way in has a seat and a coach waiting.
Stay Personal
Small enough that every scholar is known.
Two coaches per scholar. A team that answers texts. A class size we can actually serve. Relationships are the product, and we will not trade them for headcount.
Scale With AI, Not Overhead
Growth adds scholars, not staff lines.
A 1.5-person team runs on systems we built ourselves: the app, the CRM, the reporting, the outreach. $209K+ in operational value created to date, and about $54K more every year. See how →
Solid footing
$0debt or liabilities
88%of total spend goes to programs
+15%revenue growth in 2025
<2%of spend on fundraising
Form 990 (2025) · ai.levelupcincinnati.org
Ways to Partner
Pick the way in that fits you.
Think of this as a menu, not a form. Most partners combine an annual commitment with an event or two, and 100% of it goes to scholars and programming. Click any option for the details.
Annual partners are the backbone of the program. Your support funds scholarships, coaching, and the curriculum year-round, and your name rides alongside a signature program.
Every level includes priority invitations to our annual events, a seat for your people at scholar programming, and a year-end impact summary. And 100% of it goes to programming and students, not overhead.
Aiming for Opportunity is our sporting clays tournament at Sycamore Sporting Clays. Two years in, it has raised $147,910 for scholars, every dollar of it to programming and students. Every sponsorship includes a team of four.
New to sporting clays? Most of our sponsors are. Teams just need one experienced shooter as captain, and we can supply one.
Urban Bourbon is an invitation-only bourbon tasting that celebrates the organization, raises money, and is a genuinely great evening. Benefits Level Up Cincinnati and the Cincinnati Art Academy.
The Experience
A curated bourbon tasting
Rare pours, good food, and a room full of people who show up for Cincinnati. Invitation-only keeps it intimate, which is exactly the point.
Who's There
Partners, coaches, board, scholars
The evening is as much a thank-you to our community as a fundraiser. Bring your leadership team and meet the people behind the numbers.
Each November. Ask us about bringing a table.
Dollars matter. So do people. Some of our most valuable partnerships started with a coach, a station volunteer, or a hire. Any of these can stand alone or stack on top of a financial commitment.
Five moments to show up. Our calendar runs on three signature scholar programs and two fundraisers that bring Cincinnati's business community together. Each one is a place your name, your people, and your dollars can go to work.
September
Aiming for Opportunity
Sporting clays tournament. Sponsor teams, signage, and a day on the range with Cincinnati leaders.
Fundraiser
October
Professional Development Day
Full-day workshop: resumes, LinkedIn, a career panel, and breakout stations staffed by professionals.
Scholar Program
November
Urban Bourbon
Invitation-only bourbon tasting. Table sponsorships. Benefits Level Up and the Cincinnati Art Academy.
Fundraiser
Winter
Finance Dinner
Finance professionals sit with small groups of scholars for real money conversations over dinner.
Scholar Program
February
Networking Month
Learning labs, then our flagship Networking Night. Scholars call it the most impactful event of the year.
Scholar Program
The Ask
Let's build this together.
You saw the menu. We would rather build around what matters to your company than hand you a form. One conversation is all it takes to start.
Bridging Opportunity for First-Generation Scholars
1
Tell us what resonates
A program, an event, your people, your openings. Or all of it.
2
A 30-minute conversation
We learn what your company cares about and where your name should show up.
3
We build the package together
One page, your name on it, and a scholar who finishes because of it.
Annual Partner
Signature Partner
$25,000 / year
The level our longest-standing partners have chosen. Your support funds scholarships, coaching, and curriculum year-round, and your name is tied to one signature program that scholars experience every year.
Choose your signature program
Networking Month (February): learning labs plus our flagship Networking Night
Finance Dinner (winter): finance professionals at the table with scholars
Professional Development Day (October): the full-day career readiness workshop
What's included
Presenting recognition at your signature program, plus year-round recognition across events, newsletters, the impact report, website, and social
Seats for your people at scholar programming and priority placement as coaches, panelists, and station hosts
Early access to scholars through the Launch Network for internships and roles
Priority invitations to Aiming for Opportunity and the invitation-only Urban Bourbon
A year-end impact summary tied to your program
Multi-year commitments welcome. We can also scope a capital or capacity-building conversation separately.
Annual Partner
Program Partner
$10,000 / year
Sponsor one scholar program event and fund the scholars who attend it. A strong first year for companies getting to know Level Up.
What's included
Sponsor recognition at one scholar program: PD Day, Finance Dinner, or Networking Night
Recognition in newsletters, the impact report, and on our website
Seats for your people at that program as hosts, panelists, or table guests
Priority invitations to Aiming for Opportunity and the invitation-only Urban Bourbon
A year-end impact summary
Annual Partner
Scholar Sponsor
$5,000 / year
Exactly one scholar's full-year scholarship. The most direct line between your dollars and a student's finish line.
What's included
Meet the scholar you are backing and hear how their year is going
Recognition in newsletters, the impact report, on our website, and on social
Priority invitations to Aiming for Opportunity and the invitation-only Urban Bourbon
Renewable each year. Follow the same scholar through to graduation.
Annual Partner
Custom Partnership
Every corporate relationship we have looks a little different, and that is on purpose. Some ideas partners have brought us:
A multi-year commitment that follows a cohort from freshman year to graduation
Employee giving with a corporate match
Support for scholars in a major or field you hire in, like engineering or finance
An annual commitment plus an event sponsorship, bundled
Support for a specific need: professional attire, certification reimbursement, technology
Tell us what your company cares about. We will build the package around it.
Aiming for Opportunity
Presenting Sponsor
$10,000
Your name on the tournament itself: "Aiming for Opportunity, presented by..." Two presenting slots each year.
Top billing on all event pages, emails, signage, and social
Remarks opportunity at the awards ceremony
Team of four included
Aiming for Opportunity
Cigar Lounge Sponsor
$7,000
Presenting sponsor of the cigar lounge, where every attendee winds down with a cigar and a pour of bourbon.
Presenting sponsor of the cigar lounge and signage at one shooting station
Every attendee receives a cigar and a bourbon pour
Listed on event pages and one email
One dedicated social media post
One team of four included
Aiming for Opportunity
Ammunition, Food & Bar Sponsors
$5,000
Your company's name where everyone goes: the ammunition bags, the food bar, or the bar. Plus a shooting station.
Company name at the food bar, the bar, or on ammunition bags, and at one shooting station
Listed on event pages and two emails
One dedicated social media post
One team of four included
Aiming for Opportunity
Station Sponsor
$2,500
The most popular way in. Your company name posted at one shooting station, and a team of four on the range.
Company name posted at one shooting station
Listed on the event registration page
One social media mention
One team of four included
Teams need one experienced shooter as captain. Don't have one? A Level Up volunteer can fill the spot.
Urban Bourbon
Table Sponsor
$2,500
An invitation-only evening built around a bourbon tasting, benefiting Level Up Cincinnati and the Cincinnati Art Academy.
A table for your team
Recognition at the event and in our communications
An evening with partners, coaches, board members, and scholars
Held each November.
Beyond Dollars
Coach a Scholar
Your employees become Transition Coaches (early college) or Career Coaches (as graduation nears). It is a real relationship, not homework.
About two hours a month: a weekly touchpoint and a monthly in-person meetup
Two-year minimum commitment, and many coaches stay longer
Full orientation, a monthly coaching newsletter, and a 30+ coach community
College graduate with 2+ years of professional experience; background check
We are happy to present the five-minute version of this to your team or ERG. See coach.levelupcincinnati.org.
Beyond Dollars
Host or Staff a Program
Your expertise is the curriculum. A few of the moments where professionals make the difference:
Professional Development Day (October): career panelists and breakout station hosts for resume, LinkedIn, and career conversations
Finance Dinner (winter): finance professionals sit with small groups of scholars and guide the conversation
Networking Night (February): a curated guest list of Cincinnati professionals for speed networking
Host a visit: bring scholars on-site to see your work and meet your team
Beyond Dollars
Hire a Scholar
Over 90% of our upperclassmen are already employed or interning in their field. Scholars study business, engineering, nursing, computer science, construction management, and more.
Share internship, co-op, or full-time openings with us
We match them to scholars who submitted a Launch Network request and make a warm introduction
Scholars arrive with a polished resume, an active LinkedIn, and real interview reps
Partners like Cintas and Green City Demolition have scholars on their teams today.
Beyond Dollars
In-Kind Support
Cintas keeps our scholars interview-ready with professional suits. What does your company make, do, or know that a first-generation student could use?
Professional attire, technology, or certification and licensing costs
Venue space for scholar programming or coach gatherings
Pro bono expertise: legal, financial planning, marketing
Auction items and experiences for Aiming for Opportunity and Urban Bourbon
